Mortanius
|caption = Mortanius as he appears in Legacy of Kain: Defiance. |introduced = Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (1996) |race = • Human |gender = • Male |birthera = • Before Nosgoth's recorded history |status = • Inactive: deceased (Blood Omen era) |titles = Guardian of the Pillar of Death • Officiant of the Hash'ak'gik cult |aliases = • Mortanius the Necromancer |territories = • Avernus Catacombs, Avernus |affiliation = • The Circle of Nine • The Sarafan brotherhood • The Hash'ak'gik cult |item = • Mortanius's Death Orb |realm = • Material Realm Spectral Realm |voice = Tony Jay Alastair Duncan |appearances = • |mentioned = • }} Mortanius the Necromancer is a principal character in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, a member of the Circle of Nine and Guardian of the Pillar of Death. Mortanius was responsible for resurrecting Kain as a vampire, and served as an enigmatic benefactor throughout his quest to restore Nosgoth. Eventually, it transpired that Mortanius' body was a vessel to the malevolent Dark Entity; he had assassinated and resurrected Kain in an attempt to correct the imbalance caused by the murder of Ariel and the corruption of the Pillars. Mortanius was the final Guardian to perish in Kain's wake. Mortanius' character is further revisited and explored in Legacy of Kain: Defiance. He, alongside Moebius, initiated the human crusades against the ancient vampires, which led to the eventual corruption of the Pillars of Nosgoth. While struggling against the Hylden Lord's attempts to possess his body, Mortanius had attempted to atone for his crimes by creating Kain - the prophecied Scion of Balance - using the Heart of Darkness. Role In a World Without Life Upon the demise of the preceding Death Guardian, Mortanius was born, supernaturally culled to inherit curatorship of the Pillar of Death. Kain: "The book spoke of the birth of the Circle. The Circle served the Pillars, protectorates to the strange power that gives life to our land. At the unlikely death of a member, the Circle remains broken for a time, until the Pillars can cull a worthy successor." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.The Pillars at the Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 official site GLoK Interviews with Amy Hennig at Nosgothic Realm (by Raziel Fan), post #5 (by RazielFan) As a human Guardian, he was born some time after the genesis of the Pillars of Nosgoth, and - along with the longevity of life gifted to him by his birthright - he was "skilled in the arts of manipulating death". Questions reguarding BO1. at the Eidos forums (by TheElderGodofNosgoth), post #16 (by Anubis_Orr) The Players at SK: The Complete Guide To Legacy of Kain (archived at Dark Chronicle) Ancient and judicious, Mortanius was absent when Vorador launched his infamous attack on the Sarafan Stronghold in Nosgoth's early history, and was one of only three of the Circle of Nine's serving members to survive the vampire's onslaught. Warp's answers from Amy at the Eidos Forums (by blincoln) Chris@Crystal's Greatest Hits at the Eidos Forums (by Divine Shadow) In the aftermath, Mortanius personally administered punishment to Malek, the disgraced protector of the Circle. He magically stripped Malek's spirit from his body and fused it to his armor, proclaiming to him that "you have but one purpose, damned one. You will serve us for eternity". ~Malek finds himself bound and stripped naked in the center of a dark chamber, lit only by candle flame. Arcane runes and symbols of power are drawn into the floor. Scars adorn his body. On the ground before him is an empty suit of armor, propped up on a stand, giving it the impression that it has some form inside it.~ // Kain: "For failing the Circle, Malek of the Sarafan, you are hereby damned!" // ~Malek’s spirit is stripped from his body and fused into his armor.~ // Mortanius: "The pleasures of the flesh are no longer yours. You have but one purpose, damned one. You will serve us for eternity." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. However, Mortanius's own integrity would eventually be compromised. In the pre-Blood Omen era, he was seduced away from his service of the Pillars by a power beneath Avernus, essentially "inviting" malevolent forces to infiltrate and subvert the Circle. Question and Answer with Amy Hennig at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln) Raziel: "Your imprisonment here has deranged you, spirit. You fixate on Kain because you believe ''he is the tether that binds you here. But we both know he is not the author of your agony. The Pillars were subverted by dark forces, invited by the Guardians themselves. The more I learn of your Circle, the more I see a tangle of nested manipulations."'' Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (October 31, 2001) Transcript. Soul Reaver 2: Historical Timeline at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Walter) The Dark Entity - an enigmatic force bent on destroying the Pillars - possessed him, and, controlling his body, murdered Ariel, the Balance Guardian. ~Centuries later, Ariel stands by a wall, which a shadow is cast against, moving slowly, but with purpose. She turns and sees a distinctive, but unknown shape silhouetted against a light, raising a cruel knife. Ariel’s scream penetrates the darkness. A pillar is seen darkening. Fractures crawl across its surface.~ Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. "Wracked with grief and tormented by suspicions of treachery" upon finding her corpse, Ariel's lover Nupraptor - the Mind Guardian - vowed vengeance on Mortanius, and turned his telepathic powers against the Circle. Kain: "At the moment of my first cry, Ariel’s beloved – the Guardian Nupraptor – finds her corpse. Wracked with grief and tormented by suspicions of treachery, Nupraptor plunges into a madness which overflows and infects all of the Guardians, who are symbiotically bound. ''Including me. The repercussions of Ariel’s assassination were expertly calculated... The entire Circle descends into madness, and I am tainted at the moment of my birth - instantly rendered incapable of fulfilling the role destiny has prepared for me."'' Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (October 31, 2001) Transcript. Plunging into madness and launching a furious telepathic assault, he ensured that "the minds of Nosgoth's sensitive and intellectual were blasted by relentless waves of hatred". Each of the nine living Guardians were left insane by the attack, "some raving like madmen, others maliciously in control of their actions"; the Pillars' veneer turned gray and cracked, reflecting the Circle's fundamental corruption. Kain: "Nupraptor, with his blind act of vengeance, threatened to destroy all of Nosgoth. Each Circle member was bonded to the Pillar he served. The Pillars reflected the mental state of their servants, and as the minds of the Circle degenerated and descended further into dementia, the Pillars crumbled. To restore them, each member of the Circle had to die, and the artifact that served as their link to the Pillar had to be returned. Only when all the Pillars were restored, did Ariel claim my curse would end. And so my hunt for Nupraptor began." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. ~Suddenly, the entire clearing is rocked by an indescribable force – A telepathic blast bursts across the landscape with a thunderous rumble, and distorting waves of energy ripple across the clearing. Kain visibly tenses as he absorbs the onslaught of this psychic attack. The Pillars, initially white and pristine, begin to crack and corrode as they turn gray with corruption.~ Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (October 31, 2001) Transcript. Mercy and Judgement Realizing the peril his unwilling actions had caused, and desperate to redeem himself and correct Nosgoth's imbalance, Mortanius was "in constant conflict" with the Dark Entity. Miscellaneous Questions & Answers at SK: The Complete Guide To Legacy of Kain (archived at Dark Chronicle) He understood that the current Guardians "had to be destroyed" and replaced in order to restore balance to the land, and conspired to purge the Circle. ~As Kain returns to the Pillars, he discovers Mortanius and Anarcrothe arguing. It is night and the moon illuminates the scene. He hides behind a Pillar to listen.~ // Anarcrothe: "You betrayed us Mortanius! You had Kain killed and turned him into a monster! You set him upon us!" // Mortanius: "It had to be. Nupraptor’s insanity poisoned all of our minds. The Circle had failed in its sworn duties. It had to be destroyed." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. Mortanius learned of the young nobleman Kain, Ariel's then-unwitting successor as Balance Guardian. Soul Reaver 2: Background Story at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Walter) ~Kain defeats the Dark Entity, and stands at the juncture of the Pillars. Ariel appears. Nosgoth has almost been restored to its former glory. Only the Pillar of Balance remains corrupted.~ // Kain: "I am the last Pillar. The only survivor of the Circle of Nine. At my whim the world will be healed or damned. At my whim." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. He secretly hired a band of assassins to murder Kain in Ziegsturhl, then resurrected Kain as a vampire, guiding him towards vengeance. ~Kain finds himself in the Underworld – populated by lost souls that howl within the abyss. Their shapes twist and writhe in their fiery oblivion. Through this ghostly burning land, the necromancer Mortanius strides as its master. Kain is strung up between two posts, transfixed with a sword. He struggles incessantly, as if trying to deny his fate.~ // Kain: "Vae Victus - suffering to the conquered. Ironic that now I was the one suffering. Not anything as pedestrian as physical pain. Rather the cruel jab of impotent anger - the hunger for revenge. I didn’t care if I was in Heaven or Hell - all I wanted was to kill my assassins." // ~Mortanius grasps the sword and twists it free – Kain winces. His bonds are released and he steps free, staring contemplatively into the yawning fire, then turning towards Mortanius.~ // Kain: "Sometimes you get what you wish for. The Necromancer Mortanius offered me a chance for vengeance. And like a fool, I jumped at his offer without considering the cost. Nothing is free." // ~Mortanius offers the transfixion sword to Kain. Kain steps forward and grasps the sword.~ // Kain: "Not even revenge." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. Kain: "The Necromancer had offered me no warning as to what my resurrection would entail, and yet I must confess, in my haste, I had not sought one. Was his gift a curse? I would seek the Pillars for an answer." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. Though Kain's assassins were dead, Mortanius hinted that they "were merely the instruments of his murder, not the cause"'; he manipulated the vampire into slaughtering Nupraptor, a goal Ariel's specter reiterated when Kain visited the Pillars. Kain: "There is no greater release than that from vengeance sated. With my assassins dead, my quest was over." // Mortanius: "‘Tis not over Kain. These fools were merely the ''instruments of your murder, not the cause. Look to their masters. Look to the Pillars, and gain way to the Fortress of the Mind..."'' Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. Ariel: "My murder at the hands of this beast drove my love Nupraptor mad. Now he spreads misery and pain among the Circle, crumbling the very foundation of Nosgoth. You must restore balance. You must right the Pillars of Nosgoth." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. As Kain journied Nosgoth and killed successive Guardians, under the impression that his curse would end if the Pillars were restored, Mortanius occasionally addressed him with symbiotic magic, subtly spurring him on. Kain: "I seek only a cure." // Ariel: "There is no cure for death. Only release. You must destroy the sorcery that is now poisoning Nosgoth. Only then will you realize peace. The Nine of the Protectors of Hope were sworn to use their powers to preserve our world. Now these pillars have been corrupted by a traitor." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. Kain: "And so I left that place, with clear knowledge of what sort of monster ''I would become if I let my curse consume me, and with an ally for the future."'' Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. When he failed in his attempt to destroy Malek, Mortanius commented that "the game grows interesting"; that "the true player" was elusive amidst "so many pawns". Mortanius: "Oh, little vampire, the game grows interesting. But with so many pawns, can you find the true player?" Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. After Kain met Vorador, Mortanius guided him towards the Guardians operating in Dark Eden, claiming that "north is where your vengeance lies". Mortanius: "A triad congregates at the roof of the world, Kain; a plot to twist the land, to shape the world. ''North is where your vengeance lies."'' Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. Mortanius issued his final words of advice as Kain traveled to Willendorf under the advice of the Oracle of Nosgoth, an insight into his philosophy: "one cannot quite accept that which sustains him", and that "death cannot reign in a world without life". Mortanius: "Strange, isn’t it Kain? That one cannot quite accept that which sustains him: you in your death and me in mine. But death cannot reign in a world without ''life and soon you will find the quest ahead of you is yours and yours alone. I can assist you no longer."'' Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. He did not address his "undead son" again until Kain emerged in the second timeline, having navigated and exposed the schemes of the Oracle - Moebius the Time Streamer. Kain: "I had been betrayed. In my haste, I had not realized it before. That sigil on his forehead. The Oracle of Nosgoth was in fact the Time Streamer Moebius. And I had followed his advice! How much of my quest was of his design? Willendorf? The Battle of the Last Stand? William the Just? Was this the trap he had fashioned for me?" Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. Mortanius heartily congratulated Kain, telling him that "Moebius did so love playing the trickster’s part", but that "with all his plots he failed to plan for you". He entreated for the vampire to return to the Pillars, promising that "the stage is set for the grand finale": Kain would have his vengeance. Mortanius: "Well done, Kain. Ah, Moebius did so love playing the trickster’s part. His guise as the Oracle served his schemes well. Pity with all his plots he failed to plan for you. Come to me, my undead son. Make haste to the Pillars; the stage is set for the grand finale. You will have your vengeance." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. The Sweet Dark Serenity of Death When Kain arrived at the Pillars, responding to Mortanius's invitation, he found the Necromancer being confronted by Anarcrothe, the States Guardian. Kain observed their dispute, unnoticed, watching as Anarcrothe angrily accused Mortanius of betraying the Circle; the Alchemist contended that his peer had "had Kain killed and turned him into a monster". Mortanius justified his own actions, arguing that "the Circle had failed in its sworn duties" and "had to be destroyed" as a necessity. Indignant, Anarcrothe demanded that Mortanius either "stand with us" or die. Anarcrothe: "Failed our duties? Idiot! The Circle exists for us, we don’t exist for it! Our powers will save or damn Nosgoth at our whim! Stand with us, Mortanius, or die!" // Mortanius: "Then I shall die!" Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. He attempted to destroy Mortanius, but the Necromancer easily resisted the Alchemist's magic, and brutally dispatched his foe with a combination of lightning, telekinesis and shadow spots. ~A magical battle ensues, with Mortanius the victor. Anarcrothe lies on the ground with a broken spine, dying, gurgling his death rattle. Kain reveals himself.~ Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. With all his adversaries destroyed save Mortanius, Kain emerged from hiding. He openly commended Mortanius's cunning, but assured him that he would "have to die as well" - he would not escape his fate. Mortanius embraced this truth, but told the "princeling" that "my death will leave one more to take". Kain: "If the Circle is to be destroyed, you have to die as well, Necromancer. I admire your cunning, but you will not escape your fate." // Mortanius: "Nay, I will embrace it. But my death will leave one more to take, princeling. Finish me!" Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. The two fought; Mortanius raised skeletons, zombies and shadow summoners to battle Kain, but, eventually, he succumbed. As Mortanius died, the Dark Entity crushed his mind and psyche, twisting his body into the shape of a huge demon. ~Kain and Mortanius battle. There is a cracking sound, as the dark entity crushes Mortanius’ mind and psyche. His form is slowly twisted into that of a huge demon.~ Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. Claiming his Death Orb, Kain briefly restored the Pillar of Death before destroying this last remnant of his would-be benefactor. Kain: "The Death Orb of Mortanius had given the Necromancer dominion over the grave. I had thought him the last of the Circle. And yet, he spoke of another. Before the Pillar of Death, I laid the Orb of Mortanius." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. "Revolted by the machinations of the human sorcerers and alienated from his former humanity" in receipt of the knowledge that he himself was the Balance Guardian, Kain ostensibly chose to undermine Mortanius's intentions. He refused to sacrifice himself, ensuring the survival of the vampire race, but triggering the collapse of the Pillars and perpetuating the corruption of Nosgoth. Elder God: "This world is wracked with cataclysms - the earth strains to shrug off the pestilence of Kain’s parasitic empire. The fate of this world was preordained in an instant, by a solitary man. Unwilling to martyr himself to restore Nosgoth’s balance, Kain condemned the world to the decay you see. In that moment, the unraveling began... now it is nearly played out. Nosgoth teeters on the brink of collapse - its fragile balance cannot hold." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript. Ariel: "Kain refused the sacrifice. The Pillar of Balance, corrupted to its core, stands as a monument to his blind ambition. Now these pillars serve only to bind me here -- my prison and eternal home, thanks to the avarice of ''your master, Kain..."'' // Raziel: "That bastard can claim no allegiance from me." // Ariel: "Then we share a common foe, Raziel. Return here when you have need. Ariel remembers what others have forgotten..." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript. Kain: "Thirty years hence, I am presented with a dilemma – let’s call it a two-sided coin. If the coin falls one way, I sacrifice myself and thus restore the Pillars. But as the last surviving vampire in Nosgoth, this would mean the annihilation of our species. Moebius made sure of that. If the coin lands on the reverse, I refuse the sacrifice and thus doom the Pillars to an eternity of collapse. Either way, the game is ''rigged."'' Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (October 31, 2001) Transcript. Over the years, however, he sought a means to restore balance to the world. Raziel: "This is where we restore ourselves, Raziel, and reclaim our intended destinies. It may yet be possible for me to assume my role as Balance Guardian and return the Pillars to their rightful inheritors –" // ~Raziel interrupts disdainfully.~ // Raziel: "- to the ''vampires." Crystal Dynamics. ''Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (October 31, 2001) Transcript. Kain: "I knew what ominous hour this was in Nosgoth's history. For here was the event that had shaped my entire existence... I had cast my fate, refusing the sacrifice, damning the Pillars, and founding my doomed empire upon their ruins. I would raise the Sarafan priests to be my closest lieutenants, and would one day cast the strongest of them, my servant Raziel, into the abyss - dealing one last hand to play against Fate. But in the end, had it made any difference? Had I misread the signs, as Moebius told me? In my arrogance, had I missed my cast at destiny?" Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. Two thousand years after the Necromancer's death, when confronted by Raziel on questions of conscience, Kain invoked his name: "your life’s span is a flicker compared to the mass of doubt and regret that I have borne since Mortanius first turned me from the light". Raziel: "Damn you, Kain! You are not God! This act of genocide is unconscionable!" // Kain: "Conscience...? You dare speak to me of conscience? Only when you have felt the full gravity of choice should you dare to question my judgment! Your life’s span is a flicker compared to the mass of doubt and regret that I have borne since Mortanius first turned me from the light... To know that the fate of the world hangs dependent on the advisedness of my every deed -- can you even begin to conceive what action you would take, in my position?" Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript. The True Player In the early history era of the fourth timeline, while attempting to track down Raziel after saving him from the Soul Reaver, Kain unearthed a significant facet of Mortanius's history for the first time. While exploring the Vampire Citadel, he came upon a mural recording the Circle of Nine's past. Before Nosgoth's recorded history, the sterile, cursed ancient vampires, the creators and original Guardians of the Pillars, had "adopted - and, when necessary, abducted – the human Guardians, and made vampires of them when they came of age". Ultimately, the humans rebelled against the vampires, claiming the Pillars for their own: according to the image, Moebius and Mortanius had been the leaders of the "bloody revolt". Kain: "This history, in part, I knew already... How, as the Vampires began to die out, the Pillars summoned human Guardians to fulfill their roles. It seemed the ancient Vampires had adopted – and, when necessary, abducted – the human Guardians, and made vampires of them when they came of age. Until the humans rebelled against their masters... And here I made a surprising discovery: it was Moebius the Time Streamer, and Mortanius, Guardian of Death, who led the bloody revolt. Now I understood why Moebius hated me so intensely. I was the first vampire Guardian in all these centuries – and he knew what my coming signified... or perhaps I reminded him of all he had forsaken." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. During the same timeline's Blood Omen era, while exploring Avernus Cathedral in his search for the Heart of Darkness, Raziel chanced upon Mortanius in person, shortly prior to his fateful battles with Anarcrothe and Kain at the Pillars. Mortanius was the officiant leading the cenobites in the Avernus Catacombs, directing them in a liturgical chant to their Blood God, Hash'ak'gik. ~There is a pause while the officiant performs the sacrifice off-screen. Raziel moves from the darkness of the passage into the open altar area of the Avernus catacombs.~ // Raziel: "In the depths of Avernus Cathedral I stumbled upon a bloody ritual. Was this the source of the corruption that had overtaken the city?" // ~He sees Mortanius officiating at the sacrifice. Some worshipers are visible, but most of the crowd is hidden from sight.~ Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. Offering tribute upon the "upon the altar of the world", the cult sacrificed "the blood of their first born", casting bodies into a pit below. ~Raziel begins to hear chanting and liturgy -- not so far from here, a dark ritual is taking place.~ // Worshipers: "Hash'ak'gik! Hash'ak'gik! Hash'ak'gik!" // Mortanius: "Great Hash'ak'gik, we hear you." // Worshipers: "We tremble and we obey." // Mortanius: "We offer this sacrifice upon the altar of the world." // Worshipers: "The blood of our first born do we sacrifice to you." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. His god's wrath supposedly appeased, Mortanius affirmed that the "wrath of Hash'ak'gik has once more been averted", concluding the lurid ceremony. Mortanius: "May this blood nourish you for all eternity." // Worshipers: "Avert your wrath from us, great God." // Mortanius: "The wrath of Hash'ak'gik has once more been averted. Depart now, as ever, in his service." // Worshipers: "We tremble, and we obey. Praise to Hash'ak'gik, and ever praise! Hash'ak'gik! Hash'ak'gik! Hash'ak'gik!" Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. Peering into the pit, Raziel was telekinetically thrust into its nightmarish darkness, where he discovered the creature's identity: Hash'ak'gik was Turel, his vampire brother from the Soul Reaver era, transported back through time. ~From his position near the edge of the pit, Raziel glances down to see if he can see what's below.~ // Raziel: "What was it that these deluded humans worshipped with such fervor? Was this the dreaded 'Unspoken' that Vorador had warned me about?" // ~Suddenly, Raziel is seized by some invisible force. Raziel tries to resist, but he is pulled inescapably to the edge, and down into the pit. Raziel lands in nightmarish darkness -- even in the gloom he can see that the pit is littered with the bones of hundreds of sacrifices, and encrusted with their blood. As he recovers himself, and his eyes adjust to the darkness, we hear the heavy footsteps of some large beast moving closer.~ Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. Raziel has been surmising throughout the previous exchange that this might be his final brother, inexplicably here, in this pit. Still, he can hardly believe it when Turel reveals himself --'' // '''Raziel:' "...Turel." // Turel: "Turel. Yes. That was my name then." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. Turel: "Yes - I am changed. I have become a god. Greater than you ever were, Raziel. You were never a god. Greater even than Kain!" // Raziel: "It is to you that these humans offer their blood sacrifices?" // Turel: ""Hash'ak'gik...Hash'ak'gik..." Yes." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. The force Mortanius had fallen subservient to - the Dark Entity, or Unspoken - was a leading member of the banished Hylden race, exiled to the Demon Realm by the magic of the Pillars at the conclusion of the vampire-Hylden war. Raziel: "Throughout these ruins I found murals depicting the seminal events of Vampire history. These scenes commemorated a great war between the Ancient Vampires and their rivals. In triumph, they banished their adversaries from the world, and raised the Pillars as the lock that binds them." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. After killing Turel, Raziel had the opportunity to question the Necromancer on this revelation. ~Turel dies, and his soul energy flies out of him, into Raziel. Raziel is blasted by the energy as it streams into him. Hylden energy flows out of Turel and into Raziel as well. This energy hits Raziel differently, and he reacts as he absorbs it, doubling over. As he straightens up, his eyes briefly burn with green fire, then fade back to normal.~ Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. Above the pit, while he magically conveyed his "make haste to the Pillars" command to the younger Kain, Raziel accosted him. ~Mortanius stands in the center of an arcane magical circle, similar to the one at the Pillars, but darker in intention. His back is to Raziel. He speaks as though addressing someone far away, through telepathic sorcery.~ // Mortanius: "Come to me, my undead son. Make haste to the Pillars - the stage is set for the grand finale. You will have your vengeance." // ~The symbols fade, and Mortanius crumples slightly, as though exhausted.~ // Raziel: "Mortanius." // ~Mortanius turns, removing the deaths-head mask he wears as the Guardian of Death, and confronts Raziel. He looks at Raziel with suspicious interest. Strangely, he has a satisfied smile on his face.~ Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. Embracing Fate Mortanius was unaware of Raziel's identity: he immediately assumed that he was facing the Hylden champion, and remarked that "the Binding must be fragile indeed". Mortanius: "So you have come out into the open, at last - the Binding must be fragile indeed. But you will find you are too late." // Raziel: "What am I too late for this time?" // ~Mortanius convulses as he feels himself becoming possessed. He fights it --~ // Mortanius: "No. No -- not now --" Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. Raziel: "I seek the Heart of Darkness." // Mortanius: "Ah, now you think of that. But as I told you, you are too late. The Heart has served its function. I have used it to set prophecy in motion. I created the champion foretold by my masters, who is destined to be your destroyer. The Scion of Balance will save Nosgoth -- the Pillars will return to vampire guardianship as intended, and your race will be cast down forever." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. Satisfied that the champion was "too late", Mortanius said he had "beaten" the Hylden. ~Mortanius recovers himself. His cynical smile returns.~ // Mortanius: "You are too late for the victory you sought. I have beaten you after all." // Raziel: "You have mistaken my identity." // Mortanius: "Have I? You forget who schooled me in the ancient prophecies--" Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. As they spoke, Mortanius's body was periodically possessed by the Dark Entity: the Hylden Lord, "nestled in the heart of the Circle itself". ~Mortanius is possessed again suddenly. He fights it, but this time he loses.~ // Possessed Mortanius: "This vessel speaks truly - you are indeed overdue. But it no longer matters in the least. With or without you - we ''will prevail."'' // Raziel: "So I finally meet the 'Unspoken' - nestled in the heart of the Circle itself. Ironic." // Possessed Mortanius: "Poetic justice, to topple the foundations of the Pillars from within. We shall have our revenge, in full measure, and for all time." // ~Mortanius fights back, almost dislodging him. The Possessed Mortanius pauses.~ // Possessed Mortanius: "Ah... this one has little strength left. One must not break him --" Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. He had been used as a vessel by the Hylden to kill Ariel, in their long-calculated plot to free themselves from their imprisonment. Hylden Lord: "You pathetic creature - you haven't got a clue. The seduction of the Circle and possession of Mortanius; Ariel's murder; the corruption and collapse of the Pillars: all orchestrated as a prelude to this moment. We sought an incorruptible vessel, and you provided one. We required the blood of our ancient enemy, and you delivered Janos Audron - having first been lured to the Heart of Darkness. Best of all, you murdered the Scion of Balance to get it. We've already won." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. The Necromancer explained his own motives: in ages past, he had agreed with Moebius that "the vampires were simply a plague upon mankind, a pestilence they had to control", but only now appreciated that, during their rebellion, he "didn't understand what it was the Pillars were holding back". Seeking redemption for his part in the Pillars' destruction, Mortanius had resurrected Kain using the Heart of Darkness, bringing the ancient vampires' prophecies to fruition. Raziel: "Kain. You used the Heart of Darkness to create Kain." // Mortanius: "How else? I refused at first to believe the ancient myths. I thought the vampires were simply a plague upon mankind, a pestilence we had to control. But they were right, and we were wrong to overthrow them - Moebius and I. We didn't understand what it was the Pillars were holding back. I have made my atonement. I will continue to make it to the end, which will be soon, now. But I know - Kain will set it right, he will restore Balance --" Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. He (incorrectly) believed that Kain embodied both the Scion of Balance and the vampire champion, taunting Raziel that "the Pillars will return to vampire guardianship as intended, and your race will be cast down forever". Exhaustedly battling the Hylden Lord's violent attempts at possession, Mortanius knew that his enemy was "growing stronger". ~He fights against possession again.~ // Mortanius: "And none too soon. My enemy is growing stronger." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. He trusted that Kain would "set it right" and restore balance, thus redeeming the Necromancer and all of Nosgoth, but he realized that his own time was short. Mortanius: "You still don't understand, do you. You cannot make use of it as long as Kain guards it with his life." // Raziel: "Kain -- has it? It is in Kain!" // Mortanius: "Check and mate. This deed will redeem first me and then all Nosgoth. It must, it -- unh --" Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. As the Hylden Lord claimed he would "soon have a stronger vessel", Mortanius accepted his fate. With a groan, he uttered that he must "finish it. Now" to Raziel, before teleporting away to the Pillars, and his own demise. ~He is possessed again.~ // Possessed Mortanius: "This one grows weak. But we will soon have a stronger vessel. The long-awaited hour approaches - our release is at hand --" // ~Mortanius returns with a groan.~ // Mortanius: "Ah... I must -- finish it. Now --" // ~Mortanius resumes his death-mask and employs the magic of the circle to teleport away to the Pillars, where he will meet the young Kain, and die. Raziel is left alone in the chamber, in shock at what he's just discovered.~ Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript. Background Development Dialogue recorded for, but cut from, Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain suggests that Mortanius's motives were significantly revised during development; his murder of Ariel was, at one point, supposed to be deliberate. A Traitor in The Circle at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln) Blood Omen Scripts at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln) Blood Omen: Unused Dialogue at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Walter) In lines of exposition removed from his scene with Anarcrothe at the Pillars, Mortanius was to admit to having killed Ariel of his own accord, claiming full responsibility for the deed, and invoking her reckless love of Nupraptor as his justification: In the canonical storyline, culpability for the murder of Ariel is explicitly attributed to the Unspoken/Dark Entity; Mortanius is in conflict with it, and there is no indication that he resented Nupraptor and Ariel's romance - only the corruption it caused. The Unspoken: "Indeed. Such narrow vision. Don’t you see? My silencing of Ariel, and its calculated repercussions, is but the first act in my theatre of Grand Guignol. Of which you are the tragic ”hero.” Play on, little vampire, play on..." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript. However, one incongruous vestige of the excised plot remains in the finished game; Ariel brands Mortanius a "traitor" and a "beast", even though he was not directly guilty of causing her death. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 and Legacy of Kain: Defiance retroactively provided an explanation for her comment in clarifying how Mortanius came to be possessed: that he was actually "seduced" away from his service by the Unspoken/Hylden, and practically invited these "dark forces" to compromise Nosgoth, only later realizing "what it was the Pillars were holding back" and striving to "correct the imbalance". In Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, Mortanius was voiced by Tony Jay. In the sequel, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, Tony Jay voiced the Elder God, a character whose role emulated that of Mortanius's in the first game: both characters resurrected their games' respective protagonists, act as their telepathic advisors, and fuel their lust for revenge. As such, following Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver's release, it was very frequently speculated among fans that the Elder God and Mortanius were one and the same. Mortanius and the Elder God at Nosgothic Realm (by Innocent omniscient) Possible Endings for SR2 at Nosgothic Realm Turel...The Elder is....TTWND at Nosgothic Realm (by Infinite daremo) In a 1999 interview, then-series director Amy Hennig replied "maybe" when asked if they were connected. GLoK Interviews with Amy Hennig at Nosgothic Realm (by Raziel Fan) 2003's Legacy of Kain: Defiance eventually refuted this possibility, however, establishing that the two characters were distinct individuals. In Legacy of Kain: Defiance, Alastair Duncan assumed the role of Mortanius, whereas Tony Jay voiced the Elder God. Hennig stated that the use of a new actor was to avoid confusion, explaining that "Tony has a great voice, but it's always clear that it's him, and the intention was not to make The Elder God and Mortanius sound the same". Upon casting Alastair Duncan, Hennig did not realize that he was coincidentially married to Anna Gunn, the voice actor for Ariel. Mortanius is the only Pillar Guardian whose whereabouts remain unaccounted for during the slaughter of the Circle in Nosgoth's early history. Following the release of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2, Amy Hennig was asked where he was during that event. She simply answered that "Mortanius' whereabouts have not been revealed", implying that they may be of significance to the story. In the same Q&A, Hennig said that there is also an underlying meaning behind Anarcrothe's demand that Mortanius must ""stand with us ... or die", but she did not explain what it is. Given that it has since been shown that Mortanius served the Hylden, it is possible that Anarcrothe did too. The Vorador's Mansion music theme plays during the battle between Mortanius and Kain in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. Appearance In Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, Mortanius has a distinctively necrotic appearance; Silicon Knights specified that "the toils of his magical practices with the dead have made him little more than a skin and bone husk whose fragility belies his ultimate power". He wears a sprawling, hooded black cloak and bone-like pauldrons, and his face - incredibly gaunt and skull-like - is a pallid shade of bone-white, and its sallow contours are clearly visible. His arms and body are dark red, composed of what appears to be exposed flesh or tissue, and his midsection exposes what appears to be an actual ribcage. His hands are spindly, also resembling naked bone, and his eyes are white, but turn red when he wields lightning in combat. He wears brown bangles on both wrists, and a black, robe-like raiment around his lower body. For Crystal Dynamics' Legacy of Kain: Defiance, Mortainus underwent a re-design based on artwork by Kory Heinzen. His deathly appearance is toned down somewhat: his white, skull-like face in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain is revealed to be a Death's Head mask, a garment he can summon or dismiss using magic. Mortanius removes the mask for his main scene in Legacy of Kain: Defiance, revealing his actual face and skin, which is furrowed, gaunt and ashen in hue, but not skeletal. His flesh-like body and ribcage are re-worked into clothing, and his hands are clearly human and whole. His cloak is a desaturated red instead of black; he still retains a hood, but wears it down in both of his scenes, revealing his cropped blue-black hair and a long soul patch beard. Like the Revenants and others who fall victim to Hylden possession, Mortanius's eyes flare with green energy when he is possessed by the Hylden Lord. However, in both incarnations, Mortanius's eyes are usually colorless and pupiless, as are those of the possessed Janos Audron in Legacy of Kain: Defiance. It is possible that this is a symptom of his possession. Moebius and the devolved Turel also have desaturated, cataracted eyes, but theirs are not as pronounced as Mortanius's and Janos's. Although he was a living being, Mortanius did not share the typical red blood of other humans; his blood was black, like Nosgoth's undead. This was presumably a consequence of his role as Death Guardian. Personality Mortanius was noted in Nosgoth for his senses of "mercy and judgment", which "tempered" his incredible power; by the end of his life, he was consistently portrayed as a benevolent, responsible and earnest individual, acting in the best interests of Nosgoth, but flawed and privately crippled with remorse for the crimes he committed in his youth. He was not obviously fickle, but his loyalties fluctuated over the years - originally acting as one of the foremost Guardians to champion humanity's dominion over Nosgoth and the Pillars, he later forsook his duties to serve the Hylden and the Hash'ak'gik cult, before coming to fathom his "sworn duties", despise the Hylden and sympathise strongly with the vampires. His respect for ethics may have influenced his role in the revolt; the vampires' passing of the blood curse was described as an "evil", albeit a necessary one. Ultimately shouldering guilt on realizing the intent of the Hylden, and obsessed with atonement, he willingly accepted his imminent death, only ensuring that the rest of the Circle was eliminated before perishing himself. Among all the Guardians of the Blood Omen era, Mortanius alone did not exhibit overt signs of the insanity inflicted by Nupraptor. Whereas his comrades wreaked havoc on the land, he sought to purge the Circle and restore Nosgoth to its former glory. He was also the only corrupted Circle member to acknowledge and fulfil his obligation to apprentice Kain into its ranks, albeit in an unconventional manner. Nevertheless, the specter of Ariel - who shared his motives - still vitriolically described him as a "traitor" and a "beast" to Kain, possibly implying some prior bitterness between the two. Anarcrothe denounced him as an "idiot" when he learned of Kain's resurrection, and even Kain begrudged the Necromancer for his surreptitious actions and lack of openness; despite admiring Mortanius's "cunning", he essentially founded his empire because he was "pissed off because he was wronged", on the basis that "everything that happened to him was the result of someone else's machinations". The Necromancer, however, had strong fondness for and faith in Kain, even describing the vampire as his "undead son". Mortanius is never seen interacting with Moebius in person, but his dialogue suggested a slight fraternal familiarity between the two: he spoke of Moebius's "guise as the Oracle" and his proclivity for "playing the trickster's part" with good humor, and uttered "Moebius and I" with no obvious bitterness or personal enmity when recalling their revolt. It is unlikely, however, that Mortanius was ever aware that the Elder God had orchestrated their rebellion, or that Moebius was responsible for delaying Malek during the slaughter of the Circle; both manipulations which perverted Mortanius's desire for justice and balance. The Necromancer may also, temporarily or permanently, have shared amicable relations with Azimuth, given their shared allegiance to the Hylden and history as members of the Hash'ak'gik cult in Avernus. Powers Etymology Mortanius's name is presumably derived from the Latin word for "death" or "mortality" - "mortis/mortalitus". He is described as a Necromancer; Necromancy was a form of magic in which the practitioner attempted to contact the spirits of the dead, often to gain knowledge of the future. Notes *Mortanius apparently remained unaware of the link between his possession by the Dark Entity/Hylden Lord and the cult of Hash'ak'gik, as he continued to faithfully serve the cult. It is possible, however, that Mortanius recognized "Hash'ak'gik" (Turel) was a vampire. *''Blood Omen'' implied that raising vampires may have been a 'power' of the death guardian, however ''Defiance'' made clear that this was not a standard ability and Mortanius was only able to do it because he had the Heart of Darkness. *Mortanius is one of the few characters shown to have acess to the Spectral Realm, as in ''Defiance'', Raziel can confront him in either realm; the fiery "underworld" at the start of ''Blood Omen'', where Mortanius offers Kain a chance of vengeance appears to be a different interpretation of a Spectral Realm. *Mortanius's telepathic communication with the younger Kain "Come to me, my undead son" originally heard at the climax of ''Blood Omen'' to summon Kain to the pillars, seems oddly placed in ''Defiance'' as Moebius death (which preceeded the message) has yet to occur when Mortanius sent the message. Crystal Dynamics staff have admitted that the scene showing Moebius (still alive and only just going to his death) at Vorador's Mansion was a mistake. The events can still be accepted however; either Moebius has time-travelled beyond his death to gloat at Raziel, or alternatively Mortanius may simply be leaving a 'recording'. Gallery File:BO1-Character-Kain-Trapped.jpg|Concept of Mortanius and Kain (BO1). File:BO1-Character-Kain-Trapped-Color.jpg|Color concept of Mortanius and Kain (BO1). File:BO1-Character-Mortanius-Stands.jpg|Concept of Mortanius (BO1). File:BO1-Character-Mortanius-Stands-Color.jpg|Color concept of Mortanius (BO1). File:BO1-Promotional-KainAboutScreen.png|A promotional rendering including Mortanius (BO1). File:BO1-Promotional-KainTitleScreen.jpg|A promotional rendering including Mortanius (BO1). File:BO1-Wallpaper-Characters.jpg|A promotional wallpaper including Mortanius (BO1). File:BO1-Wallpaper-MortaniusClose.jpg|A promotional wallpaper of Mortanius (BO1). File:BO1-Wallpaper-MortaniusDeal.jpg|A promotional wallpaper of Mortanius (BO1). File:Defiance-Fankit-Character-Mortanius.jpg|Concept of Mortanius (Defiance). File:Defiance-Character-Mortanius-Concept-A.jpg|Concept of Mortanius (Defiance). File:Defiance-Character-Mortanius-Concept-B.jpg|Kory Heinzen's concept of Mortanius (Defiance). File:Defiance-Wallpaper-MainCast.jpg|A promotional wallpaper including Mortanius (Defiance). File:Defiance-BonusMaterial-ArcaneTomes-Raziel-09-1.png|Bonus material concept art of Mortanius (Defiance). File:Defiance-BonusMaterial-ArcaneTomes-Raziel-09-2.png|Bonus material concept art of Mortanius (Defiance). File:Defiance-BonusMaterial-CharacterArt-Concepts-02-Mortanius.png|Bonus material concept art of Mortanius (Defiance). File:Defiance-BonusMaterial-CharacterArt-Renders-09-Mortanius.png|A rendering of Mortanius (Defiance). File:Defiance-BonusMaterial-CharacterArt-Renders-10-Mortanius.png|A close-up rendering of Mortanius (Defiance). Appearances * Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain * Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver (mentioned only) * Legacy of Kain: Defiance comic (mentioned only) * Legacy of Kain: Defiance See also *Death *Death Guardian *Pillar of Death *Mortanius's Death Orb *Death's Head mask *Mortanius (boss) * Mortanius the Necromancer at Wikipedia. * Mortanius the Necromancer at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Walter). * A Traitor in The Circle at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln). References }} Category:Blood Omen characters Category:Characters Category:Defiance characters Category:Defiance comic unseen characters Category:Soul Reaver unseen characters